BTCC 2010 rule change

tonyyeb

tonyyeb

tonyyeb

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What does everyone think to the rule change for the 2010 BTCC that is supposed to equalise the start line performance of the rear wheel drive cars (BMW 320s) with the front wheel drive cars?

For those who haven't seen it, they intend to increase the length of 1st gear for RWD cars... but haven't yet said by how much.

Depending on the track the BMWs have had upto a four car length advantage to the first corner over the front wheel drive cars. We've seen RWD cars from as far back as the third row lead into corner 1.

Obviously the teams running 320's don't like it and other rest of the teams think it wont go far enough.

I personally think that the RWD vs FWD is something that is tough luck. You pick your car and away you go. FWD perform better in very wet conditions etc. and RWD is better off the line and generally has kinder tyre wear.

But then I can also see why the BTCC are doing it. They dont want the British Touring Car Championship to be a grid full of BMW 320's! But I also don't want it to be like the WTCC where rule changes seemed to happen nearly every other race at the start of this season, what boost values changing and ballast differences.

What do other BTCC fans think?
 
It makes things a bit more interesting off the line, but then they struggle in other tracks and in the wet from what I've seen (only seen about half the races the last season or two).
 
Don't like the idea. As has been stated, the RWD cars suffer more in the wet and can't cope as easily with the 'sensitive touch' of some of the BTCC drivers when being passed. Nobody is forced to run FWD / RWD, so it's a choice the teams make knowing what will happen. Should have been left how it was.
 
think im gonna start watching this, what channel do they show the races on and when?


as for the better in the wet comments, there is a garenteed start every race so theres always an advantage but it aint 100% gonna rain every race.
 
ITV4 show pretty much a full Sundays meet at a BTCC event. So not only do you get 3 (usually) great races from the touring cars, but Formula Renault UK, Porsche GT3 Championship, Ginetta G50's and Juniors etc... It is a great 5-6 hours of motorsport.
 
I think they should stop equalising stuff and simply let the best machine and driver combo win.
If manufacturers care about winning then they would produce a better package for road cars to let them win
 
I think it's on ITV4 on sundays.

British Touring car championship may well imply it's going to rain every race!

I've actually been to see it a few times at both Brands and silverstone. It never disappoints, always wheel to wheel action and plenty of scuffles along with great driving most of the time. If you can make a day of it try and get there, the support races are often just as exciting and close, sometimes closer! I'd choose Brands over Silverstone though, not just because it's closer to me (Essex), but it a much less stressful day getting there and back, as well as being a lot more intimate. Favourite spot is top of the hill around druids.
 
What a crock. The RWD are at a massive disadvantage in that bunch of demolition derby racers anyway in the fact that it only needs a gentle nudge to the rear to totally destabilize the car. A FWD can be rammed and the driver carries on foot to the floor as if nothing happened.
 
Not a fan of BTCC, primarily due to certain drivers (*cough* plato/neal) being far far too eager to tap someone to get them loose rather than actually perform a decent overtake, and that's always been easier on the rwd cars.

And now they take away one of the main advantages the rwd cars have, yay.
 
It is a very blatant advantage that really needed to be neutralized. The rocket starts made a complete mockery of qualifying. Most of the other touring cars series help with this by having 1 more more rolling starts!

I know the RWD cars have other issues like suffering more when bumped around or when the car goes light. I think the cars are as stable as each other but the FWD only require the throttle nailed to get the car straight where as the RWD cars have to slide it back together! Even Turkington this season has been doing his fair strong moves like Neal the others as well as taking pushes as well (see the last race of the season!) . The RWD cars also seem to suffer in changing, half and half conditions if they are not setup but they are very good in the wet and have better tyre wear over dry races.

It is a tough one to call but I think the decision is correct - the cars will be slower away from the line but still keep the equal performance around the rest of the track. Remember the BMW base weight is already a bit heavier than the FWD cars to compensate for the superior handling/driving setup.
 
No I strongly disagree. The other teams are not forced to use FWD. If they feel so strongly that RWD has an advantage then they should switch rather than throwing their toys out of the pram. It's not like FWD are without their advantages over RWD.
 
DevilsAdvocate said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPCGnkApnDU

None the less, this was an epic save by Jason.
Click to expand...

I remember watching that, it was amazing car control. He has had to do that a few times this year. The Chevvy might have a solid engine but the handling wasn't always tuned to match the 320s.

@Pigeon: Rolling starts cause more mayhem than they equalise start performance. Plus they too make a mockery of qualifying. The times i've seen cars ahead of their qualifying position by the start line is very common.
 
If the BMWs were dominating every race then you could see the argument for trying to reduce any advantage they may have but they're not. Different cars with different strengths and weaknesses is what makes racing interesting to watch.
 
Clarkey said:
No I strongly disagree. The other teams are not forced to use FWD. If they feel so strongly that RWD has an advantage then they should switch rather than throwing their toys out of the pram. It's not like FWD are without their advantages over RWD.
Click to expand...

So you would wish to exclude certain manufacturers from the series just because they don't make an eligible front drive car. Though I do accept that isn't so much of an issue now that it is all privateer teams.
 
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